Men's basketball advances to semi-finals with victory over Berry, 79-72

Paced by Pranciliasukas' 26 points

Tomas Pranciliauskas

March 5, 2008

Cleveland, Tenn. - The Shorter College Hawks will advance to the semi-finals of the Southern States Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament following their win over the cross-town Berry College Vikings on Wednesday night, 79-72. This was the third time the two teams have faced this season.

Shorter started out strong in the first half of the game, jumping out to a 17-12 lead with 11:45 on the clock, after a three-point shot from Larry Savage. A little over two minutes later, Berry brought it within one for their closest margin for the rest of the first, at 17-16.

Shots from Montagious Brown and Tomas Pranciliauskas gave the Hawks a 24-16 lead, which grew to a 39-28 lead with 2:29 on the clock, off a field goal from Fred Christopher. Shooting 53% from the field, 78% from beyond the three-point arc and outrebounding the Vikings 22-13, the Hawks took the 41-31 lead at halftime.

The Vikings came out on a seven point unanswered run to start out the second half, but Shorter responded with seven unanswered of their own, on shots from Christopher and A.J. Martin, to take a 12-point lead.

After four points from Fred Christopher, five from Pranciliauskas and three from Jairus Jackson, the Hawks took their biggest lead of the game at 62-45 with 11:50 left.

Following several Berry streaks, the game got close with less than five minutes remaining. With 2:03 on the clock, a Pranciliauskas three-pointer gave the Hawks a five-point advantage, 75-72, which they held a minute and a half later at 77-72. A Berry foul allowed for two three throws from Pranciliauskas, to give Shorter the insumountale lead with 20 seconds remaining. Shorter wins, 79-72.

Pranciliauskas' 26 points led the way for the Hawks followed by Christopher with 17 and Kedric Wilson with 16. Martin pulled down nine rebounds for Shorter.

Shorter shot 47.6% from the field in the game and outrebounded the Vikings, 42-34.

The Shorter College Hawks will play again in the SSAC tournament on Friday at 5:30 p.m. against the winner of the Lee University/Southern Wesleyan University game held tonight.